Gunmen kidnap many travellers along Kogi-Abuja Highway

 Gunmen suspected to be terrorists have reportedly kidnapped an unspecified number of passengers in an 18-seater bus at Ochadamu along the Anyigba-Itobe road in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

According to a Daily Trust report, the bus, which was said to be heading for Abuja from the eastern region of the country, was attacked around 4 p.m. on Monday at a kidnapping hotspot on the highway.

Sources in the area stated that kidnapping activities in the Ochadamu flash point had reduced drastically, but picked up recently after the army checkpoints in the area were dismantled following a fatal accident on the highway.

The security operatives, including the vigilantes in the areas, were said to be making frantic efforts to rescue the kidnapped victims since the incident happened.

While confirming the incident on Thursday, the state security adviser, Jerry Omodara, assured that the state government was on top of the situation.

Mr Omodara, who is a retired Navy Commander, stated that the state government had put enough measures in place to stem the tide of criminal activities in the area.

“We have fought them; we will fight them; and we will continue to fight them until they are neutralized in that axis of the state. Security agents have been alerted, and they will do the needful,” he said.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Kogi State Command, SP, William Aya, promised to find out and revert to our correspondent.